Disney Selects 200 Schools for Stage Connect
Stage Connect's 2026-27 cohort will reach more than 10,000 students across 43 states and U.S. territories.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Children’s Theater
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Disney Theatrical Group has selected 200 public elementary schools for its Stage Connect program for the 2026-27 school year, chosen from more than 800 applications. Applications for the 2027-28 school year are open and due March 1, 2027.
Why it matters
The program targets schools where theatre access is limited, as only 26% of U.S. public schools offer drama or theatre, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. Stage Connect extends Disney Musicals in Schools to schools that lack an in-person residency nearby.
Selected schools receive free access to the Stage Connect online teacher training platform and performance rights to a Disney KIDS show, with a choice among nine shows. The 2026-27 cohort is expected to reach over 10,000 students, but the source does not report measured outcomes yet.
The players
Disney Theatrical Group
The theatrical division of The Walt Disney Company, which produces Broadway and touring productions and runs the Disney Musicals in Schools initiative.
The details
Educators at selected schools complete Stage Connect online courses before rehearsals begin, and each school is matched with a Disney Production Mentor. The program builds on Disney Musicals in Schools, launched in 2009, and is hosted by L. Steven Taylor and Bonita J. Hamilton from Broadway's The Lion King.
Timeline
2009: Disney Musicals in Schools launches.
Fall 2025: Stage Connect's inaugural class of 70 schools begins.
2026-27 school year: 200 selected schools begin the program.
March 1, 2027: Deadline for 2027-28 applications.
Culture Shift
The 26% figure from the National Endowment for the Arts shows how few U.S. public schools offer drama or theatre. Stage Connect's expansion from 70 to 200 selected schools reflects a corporate effort to address that gap through online teacher training and licensed shows.
Schools not chosen for Stage Connect can still apply for the 2027-28 cycle through the program portal before March 1, 2027. Students at selected schools will take part in staged productions without needing to travel to a theatre.
The takeaway
Schools without an in-person arts residency can still bring a full musical to students through online teacher training. Educators interested in the program should watch the portal ahead of the March 1, 2027 deadline.
What happens next
Applications for the 2027-28 school year close March 1, 2027, and selected schools will be announced after review.
Further reading
Explore more on Children's Theater for other ways young audiences encounter live performance.
More information
Apply or learn more through the Disney Musicals in Schools application portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
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